The present invention relates generally to packaging. More particularly, the present invention relates to containers for storing and dispensing confectionery products.
The packaging for confectionery products is important to the marketing and storage of the product. As such, containers for confectionery products come in a variety of sizes, shapes and designs. For example, containers can be hand-held containers, with an openable lid for the dispensing of small, individual pieces of confectionery product. Such containers are traditionally useful for dispensing of one individual product, or a small number of individual products, at a time. Alternately, containers may be larger, with an openable lid for dispensing many pieces at once.
Traditional containers are useful for a number of purposes. In particular, traditional containers keep products fresh and free from contaminants. Additionally, where a product consists of a number of small pieces, traditional containers are useful for maintaining them in a restricted space for easy carrying. Where the containers are larger, they are useful for maintaining a large number of small pieces in a convenient, often decorative, manner.
Many traditional containers, however, do not adequately allow for easy removal of the product. For example, where the container is located in a high-traffic area, such as a reception area, it may be desirable to dispense a larger number of pieces at a time. If the opening in the container is too small, significant amounts of agitation may be necessary to dispense a large number of pieces. Similarly, if the opening in the container is too small for a user to use his or her hand to remove the pieces, the contents of the container may be spilled, or the user may become frustrated and give up.
In this regard, many traditional containers do not provide a user with the choice of removal of multiple pieces, or removal of a small number of pieces. When a user desires a small number of pieces, where only a large opening is present it may become difficult to remove the pieces without spilling the contents. In these instances, the large opening is unnecessary and creates a burden on the user. Furthermore, a large opening may allow multiple users to inadvertently touch unwanted pieces of the product when trying to remove an individual portion, creating an unhygienic environment. It would be therefore useful to provide a container that allows the option of either removal of a large number of pieces or a small, individual portion.
Further, conventional containers are often manufactured using multiple pieces of material. For example, when several openings are found in the container, these openings require multiple covers for sealing the openings to maintain control and preservation of the pieces. The need for multiple covers makes the processing of such containers costly and time-consuming, as each cover is likely individually manufactured.
The present invention solves the deficiencies of the prior art.